hissing
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
- Noun:
- A sharp, continuous sound like that made by the letter 's', or by air or steam escaping through a small opening. It is often used to express strong disapproval, scorn, or anger, especially by an audience.
Usage
- The word hissing is used to describe both a specific sound and the act of making that sound to show dislike.
- It is commonly associated with audiences at performances, snakes, leaking gases, and hot surfaces meeting liquids.
Examples
- Noun:
- The loud hissing from the crowd forced the speaker to stop. (Describes the sound of disapproval.)
- We could hear the hissing of the radiator. (Describes a mechanical/steam sound.)
- The hissing of the snake warned us to stay back. (Describes an animal sound.)
Advanced Usage
- "to be met with hissing": to be greeted by sounds of disapproval.
- The controversial proposal was met with hissing and booing.
- "a chorus of hissing": a widespread, collective sound of hissing from many people.
- The villain's entrance was greeted by a chorus of hissing from the audience.
Variants and Related Words
- Hiss (verb/noun): The base form. (Verb: Noun: )
- Hissed (verb, past tense):
Synonyms
- Fizz: A hissing sound, often from bubbles in a liquid.
- Sizzle: A hissing sound, specifically from food cooking in fat.
- Boo: A sound of disapproval, but is a shorter, louder exclamation rather than a continuous hiss.
- Jeer: To shout insults or mock, which may include hissing sounds.
Related Phrases
- Hissing and booing: A common phrase describing a strongly negative audience reaction combining continuous hissing sounds with shorter boos.
- The poor performance ended with hissing and booing.
Related Idioms
- To give someone/something the big hiss: (Informal, less common) To reject or show strong disapproval for someone or something.
- The new policy got the big hiss from employees.
Noun
- a fricative sound (especially as an expression of disapproval)
- the performers could not be heard over the hissing of the audience